Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-01-20

oracle.
"Aye, sure to be boy at the root OF
such work as that. Still, I'd go home
if were you. or You'll be lost or trans
ported Yourself" urged the man.
mo. oh! no. the Lady Anne will
want me-"
"Well, don't 60 far" was the reply.
Then the man tramped on. smiling al
such baby make-believe. and very
soon forgot all about the transported
mite and her small seeker. Right and
left glanced Elsie's blue eyes, but nc
Lady Anne was to be seen, only the
gloom. the mystery, the green angle o;
leaves and the sunbeams fitting anc
straying, as if they too were seeking
and searching. Now little old woman
met her.
please Ina'am. have you met s
doll?" asked the little pleading tongue
mo, dearie; did you think l had?'
was the kindly answer.
YES; there's one transported here,
and I'm afraid she'll be lost"
EIsie's tears were not far away now
she was so lonely and anxious, and the
woods were so solemn.
'.And are you looking for her?'
asked the kind old woman.
ayes, am looking for her."
''Then wouldn't, or you'll be lost
Come back along of me-" cOaxed the
kindly soul.
But '.No. no. must find her." plead.
ed the child. and tripped away, farther
and farther into the wood. farther from
home. but, as it seemed, no nearer
whatever to Ter pet, the Lady Anne.
although her heart craved and hoped
she was.
Now she tripped through the white
barrier-gate. All! whittier were her
feet carrying her? There was disused
we'll somewhere in this second wood.
and a yawning stone quarry, long left
unworked. but terribly treacherous to
unwary feet, overgrown with rank
vegetation as it was. Poor little Elsie!
the briars and brushwood were so dense
here that they took hold of her like de.
tanning hands ut every step. and. some
how, darkness came steadily on all too
readily, and strange sounds like the
rush of wild beasts made her heart
culver with terror.
"Oh, Lady Anne! Lady Amer
moaned she, rs though the inanimate
thing. if near, could answer her. Now
a snake wriggled past, and she
screamed with alright. A good thing
that the reptile was harmless. good
thing for the child's senses that it dis
appeared; but the small. fOrlOrn thing
was in maze of bewilderment, and
the dusky woods seemed teeming with
horrors. And still no Lady Anne, nc
small bundle of wax and finery, met
her eyes in the gloom. All! what was
that? A clear space with red sunbeams
straying and seeking over the green
sward, and there, dangling among q
dense growth of underwood and rank
vegetation, was the long-sought pup
PETITE Lady Anne.
''Oh, my love, my darling"' cried the
delighted child.
All, there. there. through bush.
through bramblc. she darted, but what
was that? A hurting. clutching. &
scream. The Lady Anne and her
mamma had fallen down somewhere
through the clutching bushes. No, not
the Lady Anne. she still dangled there,
pitifully unconscious. Then there was
mi ehty hush. the trees nodded and
shook their heads, the sunbeams crept
away affrighted. The sweet day was
dying there rs well rs out in the open
country, and about poor Elsie's home,
where the child was not.
Where is Elsie?" was the question
of her father. and of kindly Patty too.
who had been too busy to miss her be-
fore.
All! Bert knew. coming in with his
cricket-bat across his shoulder to his
evening meal.
..She must have lost herself in the
woods, searching for her DOLL" he told
them, and confessed to the transpOrta-
ton affair with shame-faced contrition,
looking away toward the woods.
''Well for YOU both that she did not
go over with YOU" quoth the farmer.
'Or she'd not have told Rover and ]
should have quite died" piped the poor
little maiden, as nesting in her father S
arms. he bore her home.
"Yes. she and Rover. under God.
saved yOu," said her father. "And
now. my boy. no more transporting OF
dolls. no more practical joking" SO he
a,lmonished Bert.
And Bert answered sincerely: mo,
father, Little Folks.
For a new tOpica! song "a prize was